A Member of Hogwarts History
by SoulSpectar
Summary: A young girl Elizabeth is about to get a new freedom and the perfect birthday gift: a Hogwarts letter! Taken place fifty years before current HPness.
1. New Witch

This is my second story, hopefully waaay better than my last one > Its just a quick beginner in my protaonist's life...Please review and i will give you an imaginary cookie!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Harry Potter (sadness)

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In England, in a farmland area with the closet neighbor a mile away, a young girl of eleven stared unhappily out her window, the bars throwing cold shadows over her face. A fresh bruise was forming under her left eye and the paths of tears shone bright. Her name is Elizabeth Turner or Lizzie for short. She had just come out of another argument with her parents, the bruise her souvenir. The argument had surrounded the most popular topic of recent; the strange accidents that happened around her. Recently, she had made her sister's hair blue, supposedly while she slept. Lizzie hadn't done this of course but her parents had never listened to her anyways.

Lizzie's parents were abusive, but only to her. Not her sister Nicole. Because Nicole was perfect, Nicole wasn't the freak of the family.

See, just a week ago, Lizzie had received a strange letter from some school called Hogwarts. Hogwarts was a school of witchcraft and wizardry, therefore a make believe school. How they had gotten her address, let alone how it had said 'House 3, Country Road, Bathe'. Lizzie told her parents that she didn't send anyone her address, but as usual they didn't believe her so they beat her and sent her to her room for three days with no meals. Last night, Nicole had taken Lizzie's letter from her room and had torn it up, laughing and teasing Lizzie. She became really angry but knew she couldn't hit Nicole so she just picked up the pieces and went to bed. The next morning, the letter was repaired and Nicole's hair, which the owner prized beyond anything, was not only bright blue but full of knots that wouldn't come out.

Strange, but to Lizzie's liking.

Lizzie sighed and grabbed the letter from her bedside table to reread it, it being the only chain of hope in her misery. It told her the date of the time she needed to go the train station, the place where she could get her school books (Diagon Alley), and the list of what to get. It also talked about a fund that she could get, being something called Muggle born. The envelope held a small key and a number of the vault. Of coarse, she had no way of getting to Diagon Alley, nor of getting to King's Cross Station to get to school. Her parents never let her out of the house. She had never gone to school, unlike Nicole but she had self taught herself, stealing the notebooks at night and studying them.

Tonight though, was the night she was going to leave for London. She didn't fear walking alone for miles at night but she feared never finding Diagon Alley….and the whole Hogwarts being a complete joke.

She had money…stolen over a long period of time from her parents and Nicole, so she could get a bus to London but after that, she would be with little left. Plus, she had to bring a suitcase along for obvious reasons but it had to be light, otherwise her parents could catch her and hell to pay afterwards.

The sun was low now, almost gone over the small hills. Lizzie was ready though; her suitcase packed (not full, she didn't have much), the money safely stored in a pouch around her neck, and the letter tightly folded in the pouch. Now all she had to do was wait till night could sweep her away…

Her door swung open, shedding bright light into her dark room. Her father stood there, glaring into her neat room.

"Bed, now." He demanded, pointing to her bare mattress. She nodded then got up and lay on here bed, curling away from the glaring form. He sniffed.

"I thought I told you no food!" he roared, sweeping the room for the non existent food. The smell he smelt was coming from downstairs; his drunk mind couldn't grasp that.

"No sir," she said courteously, keeping her eyes lowered "the food you smell is coming from mother's cooking and Nicole's plate she brought up before."

Her father looked at her with disbelief.

"Nicole doesn't eat here, she'd rather eat with the pigs."

Lizzie nodded in the direction of Nicole's open door across the hall then said "No sir, she eats in her room but turns the fan on. The smell travels."

The noted smell was making her stomach rumble but she grabbed it to keep it quiet.

Her father sniffed again, then grunted, annoyed that he couldn't find a reason to get angry at her.

"Then bed, now. No noise or I'll be here with a poker," he threatened then left, slamming the door and knocking a picture down, fortunately muffled by his laughing with Nicole.

Lizzie glared at the door, angry tears running down her face. She was glad she was leaving tonight; she didn't know if she could last another minute here. Tomorrow would be her eleventh birthday, and being free would be the best, and only, gift she had ever gotten.

Three hours later, by her reckoning of the clock chiming downstairs, Lizzie crept from her bed and moved to the window, pausing as she heard a great grunt from her father in the next bedroom. When it passed, she grabbed the window handle and pulled upwards, wincing as the old sliders made a slight screech. Grabbing a screwdriver from her bedside table drawer, she worked at the bars, poorly screwed in by her father. Her mother had helped with most of it, meaning its structure was better in some areas but again, weak. A slight 'clink' gave the last screw and she grabbed the bars before they could fall and make noise. She lifted them into the room and plopped them onto the bed. Next was the tricky part, for she had to toss her stuff down then get herself down while making no noise. She had no blankets to make a rope and no rope to use so she'd have to climb on the wall.

"I wish I had a wand…maybe I'd make myself fly or something…" Lizzie murmured, tossing her bag gently as possible out the window, the bag landing with a muffled _thump_ as it hit her pillow. Then she lifted her legs up and through the window and gripped the sill for dear life.

"God, please be nice to me," she said then let go.

Magic happened.

Suddenly Lizzie found herself bouncing on the ground as if it were a trampoline, skidding to a halt near the road. Blinking and smiling, she placed her right hand under her and lifted her left in the air as if to grab something.

_**BANG!**_


	2. A Dark Stranger

Disclaimer: I own nothing of HP but this fanfiction…and some books…and a few statues…

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A Dark Stranger

_**BANG!**_

If Lizzie wasn't strangely unhurt from her fall now, she was going to be very hurt if she didn't dodge the giant headlights of the bus hurtling towards her. She jumped back just as the bus pulled up in front of her. Bangs from the inside told her that the contents inside had fallen over and she even saw one passenger fly forward into the front window. Bright purple words proclaimed that this crazed vehicle was 'The Knight Bus'.

Great spelling, she thought unconsciously, as the door opened and a thin teen climbed out.

"Hello, my name is Greg Shunpike, and I will be escorting you on the Knight Bus this evening, the bus for all stranded witches and wiz…" he halted, looking her up and down.

"Where be your wand missy?" he asked, rubbing his blonde head nervously. His freckles and pimples and bright purple outfit seemed to glow in the light the bus gave off.

Lizzie blinked, unsure. How did this guy know her secret? Did this mean witches and wizards really exist?

"I…I don't have my wand yet," she said, just as nervously. She took a step back as Greg blanched and looked at her house.

"Are you a witch or not missy?" Greg asked, demanding the answer.

"I'm a witch, according to this letter," she pulled out the letter from the pouch, letting him see it for a moment, then stuffing it back in. "And do you think you could give me a ride to Diagon Alley, London?"

Greg let out a brief laugh and shook his head, though not in a denying way.

"I don't know how we ended up getting to you if you didn't throw out your wand but since you asked, yea, we can take you to the Leaky Cauldron." He peered closer at her.

"Are you Muggle born?" he asked. Lizzie nodded, not really sure what that meant, remembering what the letter had said. He nodded, as if everything had been made clear and he walked over to her stuff. Lizzie took a step to it, unsure of his intentions, but he ended up just loading it into the bus with the luggage. He took his place at the door again.

"Well, come on, hurry up. We have other customers waiting!" he said, motioning inside. Lizzie jumped on and in, feeling freer than when she had jumped out her window. She looked briefly up at her house, hoping that her parents didn't get awoken by the noise.

Looking in the bus, she got a brief glimpse of beds instead of seats, a spiral staircase leading to the second floor, and a chandelier before another _**BANG!**_ Sent her flying forward onto a bed,- thankfully a soft landing- and they were off.

"Ernie, this young lady's gotta go to the Leaky Cauldron," said Greg to the driver, a young man in his twenties maybe. Ernie nodded and pulled on a lever.

_**BANG!**_

They were streaking along the streets of the Roman Bathes area, trashcans and lamp posts jumping out of the way. This shocked Lizzie when she first say this happen but her mind, eager to see more magic, watched without comment. They came to a sudden halt that sent her bed flying forward and Greg opened the bus doors. A woman came from downstairs, clutching her green looking child, and she walked out, a bag hanging from her shoulder. The doors closed and with another _**BANG! **_ they were speeding along a freeway, dodging cars with amazing speed.

When Greg came around to her, holding out his hand, Lizzie dug into her pouch and pulled out a few pound coins then held it out to him. Greg raised an eyebrow.

"It's two Galleons, if you were confused," he said and it was Lizzie's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"What's a Galleon," she asked and Greg smiled.

"I was forgettin' you were Muggle born. A Galleon is part of our currency, the highest in fact. You don't have any wizard money yet, do you?" Lizzie shook her head, gazing at the ponds in her hand with almost distaste.

"How can I pay you then," Lizzie asked, feeling bad that she didn't have the right pay for someone so nice. Greg waved his and gave her a toothy grin.

"Nah miss, keep all your money. I'm feelin' for you…a new witch bein' Muggle born must be pretty tough, especially being alone." He gave a kind smile that made Lizzie feel guiltier that she couldn't pay him back.

Greg walked away and Lizzie looked out the window, seeing London's gates in the distance. She felt detached…as if seeing everything from above. She couldn't believe how free she was! She was on her way to Diagon Alley…though it still shocked her how it _was_ real. She had accepted the existence of Hogwarts easily because it was her only hope of getting out of the crappy hole of a life she once had…hopefully Hogwarts was a forever stay school.

Lizzie blinked as the bus slowed to a stop, fortunately not screeching to a halt like they had previously. She focused through the dark and saw a tavern like place, shabby and dark looking. A sign over the door had a cauldron with splashes around it, also looked as if it came from the middle ages.

"The Leaky Cauldron, doorway to Diagon Alley," Greg announced formally, opening the door. Lizzie gave him a small smile, staring at the tavern door.

"Stay here for a moment miss and I'll get you settled," said Greg, rummaging in his pockets and going into the tavern. Lizzie blinked, amazed at how nice Greg was. She never knew people could be that nice after living with her family these many years without exposure to the outside world.

Ernie behind her was tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, impatient.

Lizzie took that time to get out and get her luggage from the hold and to make herself look presentable for whom ever she might meet next. A moment later, Greg came out of the tavern looking pleased.

"Your room's all set up and everything, just ask Tom if you need anything," he said, smiling at Lizzie. Lizzie smiled back then took his hand.

"Thank you for everything Greg," she said, shaking his hand, then she pulled at her luggage and Greg got on the bus with a "No problem miss. Enjoy your semester," then with another _**BANG **_the Knight Bus was gone.

Excitement flooded Lizzie as she turned to the Leaky Cauldron. Finally she would get her first glimpse of the magic world. She had dreamed of this moment ever since she had accepted the idea of Hogwarts.

She pulled her luggage forward and pushed open the door, smelling the sweet smell of food. It looked like an average pub but a little darker and the customers were far from average. A man sat at a nearby table, his spoon in his soup stirring by itself while he read the paper. A woman of pasty skin and dark eyes sat at the bar, flowing black lace covering her coat. Three tall men sat around a table, their heads covered in white bandages all but their eyes which were red and tinted yellow. A normal looking man stood behind the bar, serving drinks while a tankard next to him cleaned itself.

Lizzie walked in slowly, making sure not to catch anyone's eye. A few watched her go to the bar but no one really paid her close attention. The man behind the bar, however, looked up and, seeing her, grinned showcasing a few missing teeth.

"Ah, you'll be Miss Elizabeth Turner then? Greg said you're looking for a place to stay and Diagon Alley. No worries," he added, seeing her straighten, "Greg paid for your room already and I know someone who could show you 'round Diagon. Tom," he said to a tall boy who was sitting at one of the tables, reading a large book. The boy looked up showing a face of maybe seventeen with dark eyes and dark hair. He wore a robe of an even darker black, making him seem mysterious.

"Could you show Miss. Turner around? She's new at being a witch and needs a good guide to find all her books," asked Tom, motioning towards her. The boy Tom blinked and nodded, seemingly scanning her with his eyes. He stood then tucked the book into a small pocket in his robe then walked towards her. Lizzie held out her hand and he took it.

"Guess you already know my name. Are you a student at Hogwarts?" she asked as Tom the barman took her bags with a "I'll just take these to your room". Tom the boy nodded then slipped his hand into his robe and pulled out a long, dark wooded wand.

"Name's Tom Riddle," he said and Lizzie thought his face had hardened for a moment as he said it, "and I'll be glad to show you around."

Oooooo, the suspense! (okay not really but its exciting, isn't it?)

Our young protagonist is all ready to start her new life, but what's so odd about this new stranger, this Tom Riddle? Sorry if these beginning chapters are boring but they ARE needed otherwise you, my lovely readers, would be hopelessly lost in a whirlpool of 'who the heck?'s and 'wtf?' s. So please review and get extra cookie points! (I'll even include pie points this time for being so patient)

Chao


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